Sixth-seeded Coco Gauff routed fellow teenager Mirra Andreeva, dispatching the Russian sensation in 76 minutes to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday in New York.
Gauff defeated Andreeva 6-3, 6-2 to extend her winning streak to seven. She improved to 13-1 since losing in the first round at Wimbledon. Gauff also defeated Andreeva in three sets in the third round of the French Open two months ago.
Gauff, 19, dominated Wednesday, winning 22 of 27 first-serve points against the 16-year-old.
“She’s the type of player that if you give her something she is going to take advantage,” Gauff said on court after the win. “Today I think I did well by making her play off her back foot.”
Gauff will next play No. 32 Elise Mertens of Belgium, who rallied to defeat Danielle Collins 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1 in 2 hours, 45 minutes.
Mertens saved two match points en route to the win.
Top-seeded and defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland downed Australia’s Daria Saville 6-3, 6-4 in 94 minutes. Swiatek lost all three break points on her serve, but she took advantage of five of her six break opportunities.
“For sure it wasn’t easy,” Swiatek said. “The rhythm of the match was kind of weird.”
Next up for Swiatek is Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan, who got past the United States’ Lauren Davis 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.
Swiatek said of Juvan, “She’s my best friend on tour. She’s one of the most honest and, I think, smart people on tour. I’m happy that she’s my friend, but yeah, we’ve got to play against each other. It’s a tricky situation, but I think we both know how to be professional and just play the match and that’s all.”
Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan didn’t have to take the court to advance, as Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic was forced to withdraw due to a sore arm. Tomljanovic played her first match of the year on Monday after recovering from knee surgery.
Also, No. 15 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland dispatched World No. 198 Yuriko Lily Miyazaki of England 6-3 6-3.
The United States’ Taylor Townsend upset No. 19 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 7-6 (1), 7-5 to advance.
Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova beat Rebeka Masarova of Spain 7-6 (0), 6-2. Masarova upset No. 8 Maria Sakkari in the first round.
Other seeded winners were No. 10 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and No. 30 Sorana Cirstea of Romania.
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, a two-time U.S. Open finalist back in action at a major event for the first time since 2020, eliminated 11th-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 7-6 (5).
–Field Level Media
